Sunday, December 28, 2008

Christmas Eve Fun

My side of the family started a new tradition a few years ago. Every Christmas Eve we get together at my house to exchange gifts, eat lunch, and go sledding at Glenmoor Golf course. It's great to get everyone together before we all go our separate ways on Christmas day.



Hadleigh and Aspyn dressed up as Joseph and Mary with baby Jesus

Kids playing before we open presents

Jalon, Aspyn, Brinnley, Hadleigh, and Devon getting ready to open gifts. Bridger was with his Dad and Colton was with his mom.

My sister Brittany with her husband Nathan, and their baby bump Ethan Clark White (Due in June)

My brother Channing with his fiance Brooke. Channing took her to the Blue Boar Inn later that day and they went on a carriage ride where he asked her to spend the rest of her life with him. Welcome to the family Brooke

My Grandma Annette (My mom's mom)

My Mom Lisa and my lil sis Shannalee. Shannie flipped her hair in my mom's face as she was posing for this pic, so my mom grabbed her hair and made a mustache. They are so silly!



My lil sister Breanna and her daughter Oakley

My lil sister Amberly and her boyfriend Jared

My lil sisters Cameron and Shannalee


The Sledding Expedition

We had so much fun sledding this year! It wasn't as cold and windy as last year. Everyone took turns racing down the hill together. Hadleigh and Aspyn made snow angels together. This trip was short and sweet, but we all enjoyed every minute of it.

Hadleigh was a little dare devil this year. She rode down all by herself a few times and giggled as she went faster. Last year she wasn't a big fan, and preferred to play in the snow at the bottom of the hill.

Cameron

Hadleigh on Grandpa Daniel's back. I'm sure he was hurting the next day.


Brinnley on Cameron's back

Jalon, Jared, and Amberly racing to the bottom

Jared, Jason, and my dad racing too. Jason took about 3 extra steps before diving onto his sled...I think that's cheating!

Cameron and Amberly

Hadleigh and Daddy

Aspyn and Hadleigh

Yes, they were eating snow....YUCK!

Amberly and Jared

My dad and my lil sis Cameron

My lil brother Devin

Jalon, my sis Brittany's son

Brinnley, my sis Brittany's daughter

Grandma and Grandpa Livingston relaxing a little. Craig had another knee surgery 2 wks ago and is a little stir crazy. Karen rarely takes a break. It was great to get a picture of the two of them.


Every Christmas Eve night we have a gingerbread house contest at Grandma and Grandpa Livi's. The last few years our house has won. Colton was with his mom's family this year and couldn't help us. This year the award goes to the Bennett's.



Hadleigh and Daddy getting started

Funny pose!

Bennett's had blueprints this year, and their entire family helped with the construction

Cody LOVES decorating gingerbread houses! Oaklee had so much fun adding eyes and smiles to her gingerbread men.

Hadleigh was such a big helper this year. She wanted to put on all of the decorations all by herself.

Our Gingerbread House

Cody, Davi, and Oaklee's Gingerbread house. Beckham didn't help much this year.

The Bennett's Masterpiece. Nate added the finishing touches.

Beckham in his new Christmas Jammers sound asleep.
Hadleigh and Oaklee opening their Christmas jammers. They were so excited they both got pink jammers with monkeys on them.
Lori dropped Colt by the house after they finished their Christmas Eve party with her family. The kids wanted to open one more gift. Colton was thrilled to get an iHome for his ipod, and Hadleigh opened a Strawberry Shortcake Salon playset. We usually just let them open their jammers, but Colt already opened his from his mom...so we changed things up a bit this year.
Love his reaction! Apparently the iHome was something he really wanted. Much more exciting than opening a 2nd set of jammers.

Christmas Cookies!!

Hadleigh and her cousin Aspyn helped me make Christmas Cookies. As you can tell by the big grins, we had a blast! While the cookies were baking the girls dressed in princess dress ups and danced at the ball while the wicked step-mother (that would be me) got the cookies ready for decorating. Always a wicked step-mother...never a princess....
What cookies the girls didn't eat as they were decorating

Caught red and green handed!
Sneaking littles bites when mom wasn't looking. I love the not guilty looks!
Hurry!
Put it in your mouth before she sees.

Silly faces
The cookie making ended in a well needed bath. The girls played in the tub for over an hour!